Environmental Impact Statement: Sherburne and Stearns Counties, MN

Cheryl B. Martin
Federal Highway Administration
January 7, 2010

[Federal Register: January 7, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 4)]
[Notices]               
[Page 1010-1011]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07ja10-65]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

 
Environmental Impact Statement: Sherburne and Stearns Counties, 
MN

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to terminate Tier I EIS.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that the 
Tier I Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process for a proposed 
east/west minor arterial connection between Trunk Highway (TH) 15 and 
TH 10, including a crossing of the Mississippi River, in an area south 
of 10th Street South and north of Interstate 94 in the St. Cloud 
Metropolitan Area, Sherburne and Stearns Counties, Minnesota is 
terminated. The original Notice of Intent for this Tier I EIS process 
was published in the Federal Register on December 26, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl Martin, Environmental and Civil 
Rights Specialist, Federal Highway Administration, Galtier Plaza, Suite 
500, 380 Jackson Street, St. Paul, Minnesota 55101, Telephone (651) 
291-6120; or Scott Mareck, Executive Director and Transportation 
Planning Manager, St. Cloud Area Planning Organization, 1040 County 
Road Four, St. Cloud, Minnesota 56303, Telephone (320) 252-7568.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FHWA, in cooperation with the St. Cloud 
Area Planning Organization and Stearns and Sherburne Counties, has 
terminated the Tier I EIS process begun in 2002 to address the need for 
improved east/west minor arterial continuity, land use and trip 
generation growth, and forecasted 2025 congestion on existing bridges. 
The purpose of the Tier I EIS was to preserve right of way for the 
proposed highway improvement, including a crossing of the Mississippi 
River. The Scoping Decision Document for the project was approved by 
Stearns and Sherburne Counties on June 14, 2005 and April 21, 2005, 
respectively. An Amended Scoping Decision Document for the project was 
approved by Stearns and Sherburne Counties on September 8, 2006 and 
September 15, 2006, respectively. The conclusion of the Amended Scoping 
Decision Document was to separate the project into two independent 
projects by dividing the project at the intersection of Stearns County 
State Aid Highway (CSAH) 75. The first of these two projects (the 33rd 
Street Project), will extend from TH 15 easterly along existing 33rd 
Street South to its junction with CSAH 75. The second project (the 
Mississippi River Crossing Project) will extend from CSAH 75 easterly 
to TH 10 in Sherburne County. On October 3, 2006, the St. Cloud Area 
Planning Organization notified Federal, State and local agencies; 
interested parties; and the public that work on the 33rd Street Project 
would proceed as an Environmental Assessment and that the Tier I EIS 
for the Mississippi River Crossing Project would proceed at an 
undetermined future date. Therefore, the EIS for this project has been 
terminated.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 20.205, 
Highway Planning and Construction. The regulations

[[Page 1011]]

implementing Executive Order 12372 regarding intergovernmental 
consultation on Federal programs and activities apply to this 
program)

    Issued on: December 30, 2009.
Cheryl B, Martin,
Environmental and Civil Rights Specialist, Federal Highway 
Administration, St. Paul, Minnesota.
[FR Doc. E9-31403 Filed 1-6-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M